Navy officer released from Japanese prison booked into California federal prison | CNN Politics

US Navy officer Lt. Ridge Alkonis, who was jailed in Japan for negligent driving that resulted in the death of two people, has been booked into a federal prison in Los Angeles following his transfer to the US, according to a family spokesperson and the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

“We can confirm Ridge Alkonis is in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) Los Angeles,” a BOP spokesperson told CNN.

A family spokesperson, Jonathan Franks, said in a statement Thursday night that “Lt. Alkonis is now housed in a notorious federal lockup in Los Angeles,” adding that the Bureau of Prisons had informed them “it will take up to 90 days to approve [his wife] Brittany and the kids to visit him.”

“We believe the BOP can and should release Ridge immediately – it is outrageous he is spending the night in jail,” Franks said in the statement.

Asked by CNN when Alkonis’ family might be able to visit him, the BOP spokesperson said the bureau had nothing to add.

A source familiar with the situation told CNN on Friday that the prison warden put in special visitation memos for Alkonis’ family Thursday night. The family is cleared to visit and can do so earlier than visiting hours, the source said.

Earlier Thursday, the Alkonis family said in a statement that they were “encouraged” by the transfer. “After 507 days, Lt. Ridge Alkonis is on his way home to the United States. We are encouraged by Ridge’s transfer back to the United States but cannot celebrate until Ridge has been reunited with his family,” the statement said.